LOCAL BODIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 97, 27 April 1938, Page 22

LOCAL BODIES.

ONEHUNGA BOROUGH COUNCIL. The Onehunga Borough Council met last night, the Mayor, Jlr. J. Park, presiding. , I XT A Finance. —The town clerk, Mr. H. -AYocknev, reported that the debit balance at April 1, 1937, amounting to £8157 had been reduced to £5931 4/1. Giwng details of the income and expenditure tor the year ended March 31 last, he said the receipts amounted to £59,530 I'/ll- 1 j principal items of income being: General rates, £28,141 8. 10; arrears, i 6093 l/W, and a Government subsidy °» ' waterworks revenue, £7429 6/3; Hillsboro L'emeterv, £2996 13/6; share petrol tax, £2618 10/9; rente, £635 9/3; debit balance, £5931 4/1. The principal items of expenditure were: Debit balance, April 1» £8157 17/6; loans, interest and principal, £17,329 4/; streets. £8502 18/2; waterworks. £4291 7/8; Hospital Board. £292.) 7/6; salaries. £2901 2/6; Halstead block, purchase and improvements. £2018 12/9; Hillsboro Cemetery, £1812 9/1; street lighting. £1078 14/; refuse removal and refuse destructor, £1073; Fire Board, £599 3/. The total expenditure for the year amounted to £51.373, or £2226 le« than revenue received. . . Taxi Drivers' Licenses. —The Minister of Transport has asked the council to refrain from granting further taxi drivers licenses except in cases where an increase is justified to meet a continuing expansion of business. As an amendment to the council's by-laws may be necessary to give effect to this request, it was referred to a committee for consideration.

Borough Employees.—A total of' 114 men are engaged under scheme 13 special conditions. Of these 37 are on street works, nine at Mount Smart pit, 48 at Waikaraka, and 20 on borough reserves, school grounds and domains. Drainage.—The drainage contract in Angle Street has been completed, also the installation of pumps and motors in connection with the same. Auckland Museum. —The council s contribution towards the maintenance of the Auckland Museum for the current year is £264 2/6. Request Gianted.-The council agreed to give the State Placement Officer access to all plans of work in progress, but as there is only one set of these, they are to be retained for the council's own purpose. Stock Route. —It was decided to close the present stock route through Mount Albert and Mount Smart Roids. and the following sul>stituted therefor: From Frederick Street, through Princes Street west. Xeilson Street to borough boundarv. Road Races.—Permission was given to the Xorthern Cycle Club to hold their annual road races on the circuit used last year.

FRANKLIN POWER BOARD

The monthly meeting of the Franklin Electric Power Board was held yesterday, the chairman, Mr. John Dean, presiding. Line Construction.—The engineer, Mr. L. G. Sharp, reported that on the Glen Murray-Xaike extension, one mile aad a half of 11.000-volt wiring had been completed, while at Hall's Koad, Waiuku, 35 chains of 11,000-volt wi.ing had been carried out. Installations. —During the month 118 permits were issued for new installations and additions. The principal additions to the load were: —Six milking and separator motors. 4 industrial motors, 16 pump motors, 25 ranges and 35 waterheaters. Annual Balance-sheet. —The secretary, Mr. A. J. McDowall, reported that during the year revenue from sales of electticity amoimted to £08.387. compared with £59.120 the previous year, an increase of £1)267. Other revenue Amounted to £4827, compared with £5106 the previous year. Despite reductions in charges and increased costs the board showed a profit of £6186. compared with £6593 the previous year. During the year an additional sum of £20,000 was raised, and a further £15.000 had now been obtained, leaving an unexpired authority of £40.000. The capital expenditure for the year amounted to £24,607, of which £7156 had been provided from revenue. Reserves now stood at: Depreciation reserve £25.000, general £9745, loan redemption £7727, capital £4000. and sinking fund reserve £38,420. Year's Activities. —In his annual report the engineer said that during the year the hoard had erected almost 73 miles of newlines. together with 25 transformer substations. This brought the total length of lines to 866 miles. Altogether permits were issued for 1440 new installations and additions to existing loads, while during the year the consumers purchased 20,319,268 unite, an increase of 3,196,225.

PAPAKURA TOWN BOARD.

The fortnightly meeting of the Papakura Town Board was held last evening, the chairman, Mr. H. E. McEntee, presiding.

Traffic Tallies.—The district engineer sent particulars of the recent traffic tallies taken in the district. Those most concerning Papakura were: Manurewa to Papakura. average number of vehicles daily. 3030: Drury to Papakura. 2260: Papakura to Htinua. 279; Papakura to Hunua junction, 279; Karaka to Papakura. 282.

Art Union Profits.—Owing to Papakura having been left out of the last two distributions of the art union profits and a complaint having been sent to the Minister of Internal Affairs, a reply was received stating that grants were made only where the unemployed in the district were lower than the Department's minimum number for any particular district. and in the case of Papakura the number had been fixed at 30. Therefore, the number being less than that the Papakura share of the art union profits had been cancelled. It was decided to inform the Welfare League of the Government's decision.